focus on best practices for Nanoshellnet or any other domain Here’s a comprehensive guide to setting up professional email for your domain using DirectAdmin with a focus on best practices for Nanoshellnet or any other domain:
Prerequisites
- A domain registered with Nanoshellnet (or any registrar)
- DirectAdmin hosting account with email functionality enabled
- Domain DNS properly pointing to your hosting server
Step-by-Step Setup Process
Step 1: Access DirectAdmin Control Panel
- Log into your DirectAdmin panel (usually: yourdomain.com:2222)
- Enter your username and password
Step 2: Create Email Accounts
- Navigate to Email Management section
- Click on Email Accounts
- Click Create Account
- Fill in the details:
- Email: username@yourdomain.com (e.g., info@, sales@, yourname@)
- Password: Strong password (use the password generator)
- Quota: Set appropriate storage limit
- Click Create
Step 3: Configure Email Client Settings
For each email account, you’ll need these details:
Incoming Mail Server (IMAP/POP3):
- Server: mail.yourdomain.com or your server’s hostname
- IMAP Port: 993 (SSL) or 143 (non-SSL)
- POP3 Port: 995 (SSL) or 110 (non-SSL)
- Username: Full email address
- Password: Your email password
Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP):
- Server: mail.yourdomain.com or your server’s hostname
- SMTP Port: 465 (SSL) or 587 (STARTTLS)
- Authentication Required: Yes
- Username: Full email address
- Password: Your email password
Step 4: DNS Configuration (Critical)
Ensure these DNS records are properly set up:
MX Records:
text
Priority: 10 | Destination: mail.yourdomain.com
(or your server’s hostname if different)
SPF Record (TXT):
text
v=spf1 a mx ~all
Or more comprehensive:
text
v=spf1 a mx ip4:YOUR_SERVER_IP include:_spf.yourhostingprovider.com ~all
DKIM Record (Recommended):
- In DirectAdmin, go to Email Management → DKIM
- Select your domain
- Click Create DKIM Key
- Copy the generated TXT record and add it to your domain’s DNS
DMARC Record (Optional but recommended):
text
_dmarc.yourdomain.com TXT “v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:admin@yourdomain.com”
Step 5: Webmail Access
DirectAdmin typically includes multiple webmail options:
- Roundcube: https://yourdomain.com/webmail
- SquirrelMail: https://yourdomain.com/squirrelmail
- Access via: YourDomain:2222 → Email Management → Webmail
Step 6: Configure Email Forwarders (Optional)
- Go to Email Management → Forwarders
- Create forwarders for common addresses like:
- postmaster@ → Your main email
- abuse@ → Your main email
- webmaster@ → Your main email
Step 7: Autoresponders (Optional)
- Navigate to Email Management → Autoresponders
- Create automated responses for vacations or automatic acknowledgments
Security Best Practices
1. Strong Passwords
- Use at least 12 characters with mixed case, numbers, and symbols
- Change passwords regularly
2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication
- In DirectAdmin User Level → 2 Factor Authentication
- Use an authenticator app like Google Authenticator
3. Regular Backups
- Use DirectAdmin’s backup feature to regularly backup emails
- Schedule automated backups
4. Monitor Email Logs
- Check Email Management → Message Queue for stuck emails
- Review Email Management → Email Logs for suspicious activity
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Emails Not Sending:
- Check SMTP authentication is enabled in your email client
- Verify port settings (use 465 or 587)
- Check if your IP is blacklisted (use mxtoolbox.com)
Emails Not Receiving:
- Verify MX records are properly set (use DNS lookup tools)
- Check spam folder
- Verify email account quota isn’t exceeded
Connection Issues:
- Verify firewall isn’t blocking email ports
- Check SSL certificates are valid
- Test connection at: https://yourdomain.com:2222/CMD_TEST_EMAIL
Advanced Features in DirectAdmin
1. SpamAssassin Configuration
- Access via Extra Features → SpamAssassin
- Configure spam filters and sensitivity
2. Email Routing
- Set up custom routing in Email Management → MX Records
3. Mailing Lists
- Create mailing lists via Email Management → Mailing Lists
Mobile Device Configuration
Android:
- Settings → Accounts → Add Account → Email
- Enter full email address and password
- Select IMAP or POP3
- Enter server settings from Step 3
iOS:
- Settings → Mail → Accounts → Add Account → Other
- Add Mail Account
- Enter server settings from Step 3
Regular Maintenance Tasks
- Monthly:
- Review and clean up old emails
- Check disk usage
- Update passwords if needed
- Quarterly:
- Review email forwarding rules
- Update autoresponders
- Check DNS records are still valid
- Annually:
- Audit all email accounts
- Review security settings
- Update DKIM keys if needed
Support Resources
- DirectAdmin Documentation: DirectAdmin Knowledge Base
- Email Testing Tools: MXToolbox
- SSL Checker: SSL Labs
Important Notes for Nanoshellnet Users
- If Nanoshellnet is your hosting provider, check their specific documentation for any custom configurations
- Verify their terms of service regarding email sending limits
- Contact their support if you encounter server-specific issues
- Ensure your hosting plan includes email functionality
By following this guide, you should have professional email working reliably for your domain. The key elements are proper DNS configuration (especially MX, SPF, DKIM records) and correct client settings.